ESPN’s Bowen: Best potential landing spots for Budda Baker, DeAndre Hopkins

As the NFL season rapidly approaches, many teams are fitting together the final puzzle pieces of their rosters.

The Arizona Cardinals and a couple of their star players have been hot topics this offseason.

Wideout DeAndre Hopkins was, in a surprising move, released by the team and is a free agent eligible to sign with whatever team he pleases. The second big name involved in trade rumors has been safety Budda Baker.

Baker requested a trade from the Cardinals in April but said he’ll be back among the organization “when it’s time to be there.”

As the Cardinals are projected by many to finish at the bottom of the NFC West, ESPN’s Matt Bowen gave the best potential landing spots for both Hopkins and Baker.

Hopkins is 30 years old and is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Bowen sees his best fit in Kansas City with the Chiefs.

One issue is many of the title-contending teams that he may want to play for do not have the cap space that a top player at the position typically would make.

Hopkins will have to make a decision on taking a large contract with a team that still has the cap space to make the deal or taking a lesser deal with a team he thinks can win it all.

There will be multiple teams with interest in Hopkins. The Bills fit here. The Jets, Patriots and Cowboys, too. Maybe even the Browns. With the Chiefs and coach Andy Reid, however, he could be used as a boundary target for Patrick Mahomes or work inside on leveled concepts to attack schemed voids in the coverage. Hopkins would join a title contender and upgrade the league’s best pass game.

Baker, 27, signed a four-year, $59 million contract with Arizona and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. He is highly regarded as one of the best safeties in the league and his trade request could be a business move for more money in a contract.

He has been a captain and an anchor for the Cardinals’ defense for many years and with J.J. Watt’s retirement, Arizona may need the leadership for the younger regime.

Bowen believes the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro player would best fit in Philadelphia with the Eagles.

The Eagles signed safety Terrell Edmunds in free agency and drafted rookie Sydney Brown in Round 3, but would general manager Howie Roseman take a swing to land a veteran? Baker, who requested a trade in April, is one of the league’s most urgent safeties. He has incredible play speed and would fit as a top-down defender in split-field coverages under new coordinator Sean Desai.

Baker had at least 98 tackles over the past five seasons, and he creates plays on the ball in coverage, too.